


Umbrella

by jenthestoryteller



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Confessions, M/M, Oneshot, Pre-Kerberos Mission, Rain, SHEITH - Freeform, Umbrella, brother
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-15
Updated: 2018-08-15
Packaged: 2019-06-27 17:59:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15690507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jenthestoryteller/pseuds/jenthestoryteller
Summary: A young Keith learns new emotions when a friend makes a daring confession.





	Umbrella

_Pitter. Patter. Pitter. Patter._

We're strolling along the sidewalk in the soft evening rain with only an umbrella as our shelter, admiring the pavement glistening under the street lights as we walk our way back to the Garrison dormitory. It's been a while since we last did something like this, just Shiro and I, and the moment never felt better. 

"Keith," he speaks against the rain.

"Hmm?"

"How would you know if someone likes you? And by 'like,' I mean  _really_ like you?"

I glance at him, surprised at such a question. Why would he be asking me this?

"I don't think I'm the person you should be talking to. I'm younger than you; I'm the least likable person in the entire Garrison; I'm Emo Kid!" I hear him giggling as I remind him of the infamous nickname the other cadets in my class gave me. "Hey, what's so funny?" I ask, pouting. He isn't stopping, and I start to get annoyed. "If there's one thing I can't handle, it's being laughed at. I already have to put up with crap from Griffin and the rest of the cadets; I don't need it from you too, Shiro!" I scoff. I cross my arms and look away from him.

Moments later, the chuckles die down and I feel a hand on my shoulder. "I-I'm sorry, buddy," he says gently, "You're right. I guess I was desperate for advice that I didn't realize who I was asking it from."

"Don't you have anyone else to talk about this stuff with?" I ask, looking at him.

"Well, Matt's got some ideas for a virtual security upgrade that would prevent hackers from infiltrating the Garrison's database, so he's been busy at the Control Center for a few days now. I can't ask Commander Holt or any of the officers because that would be too weird. And the guys from the aviation unit? I can't have a decent conversation without them teasing me nonstop. Ha. Just forget about it."

I study his face. A few seconds ago, he was laughing at me; now he has this subtle sullenness in his eyes despite the soft, calm look he's wearing. He must really be that desperate to ask me about it. After all, it's Shiro. He has always been there for me whenever I got into trouble with the higher-ups. It wouldn't hurt to try to do the same.  _But what could I say?_  No one's ever liked me -- except my Dad, of course, since he's my Dad -- and no one that I've met has ever been worth liking, not even the cutest girl in class. I ponder even further. The only person that popped into my head was Shiro.  _I like Shiro, and he likes me... at least, I think he does._  I know this kind of 'like' was different from the 'like' he was asking about, but honestly, Shiro's kindness is the most genuine thing to ever exist; it's simply impossible not to like him. Ultimately, instead of trying to make up an advice from baseless nonsense, I decide to take the safe route and tell him what I notice he does to show he cares about me and what I would do to show how much I value him as a friend and mentor. I take a deep breath.  _Here goes nothing_.

"Maybe you could tell if she always smiles when you're together. She always answers to your messages even if they're sent late. She'd exert all efforts just to make time for you. She gets mad when you do things carelessly but she always makes sure that you're okay. She comes to you when she needs help, and she lets you know that she will always be a helping hand for you even at times when she is out of reach. She makes fun of you from time to time, but in an endearing way. She could see in you what others couldn't. I guess that's always how it is."

He looks at me, astonished. "Where did you get that kind of answer?"

"Probably from all of those sappy, Julia Roberts romcoms you've been making me watch with you lately," I say jokingly. I couldn't let him know I was talking about us; that would be too embarrassing, and if he knew, he might think I'm weird. I was expecting another goofy reaction from him but silence is all that followed. I look at him again. His mind seems to be somewhere else. "Is there someone you like?" I ask. What a stupid question,  _Captain Obvious_. He smiles at me; it's the kind of smile that couldn't be easily erased from one's thoughts. "Who is it?"

"Promise you won't tell."

I smirk. "You're sure being secretive. She must be one heck of a girl for you to be like this. Of course I won't. Who would I even tell?" I reassure him, and I ready myself for what I am about to hear. "So, who is it?"

" **Adam, the guy from my squad."** I freeze. _What? "_ You've met him; we've all hung out together a few times. He's--"

"I know who he is," I cut him off abruptly. A guy?  _Adam_? Can that really happen?

_Ta-thump._

"Keith," he utters my name, pulling me from my thoughts.

"W-what?"

"I really like him. I want to confess but I don't know if he'd feel the same," he tells me, and I could sense the worry in his voice.

_Ta-thump._

I take a deep breath. Adam _is_  a nice guy; he's smart, kind, and fun to hang out with. Shiro has every reason to have feelings for such a person, but I didn't think it was possible. Those glances, the smirks I catch Adam making at Shiro... no one's ever told me that boys can fall in love with —  _Wait, why am I getting worked up over this?_  It's Shiro, for Christ's sake! He's done so much for me; he risked everything to convince Admiral Sanda to let me stay in the Garrison. He deserves someone who cares for him and loves him as much as he would love and care for anyone else, so why am I getting bothered? Making an issue out of it will only make me even more pathetic of a human than already am. He promised he'll never give up on me, so I shouldn't let him down. I guess the best I could do for him is to  let him know.

"He likes you," I begin, but each word strangely becomes more difficult to say. "I could tell by the little gestures he makes and the way he looks at you."

His face brightens up. "He does?"

I fashion a smile on my face, the widest grin I can make. "I swear on the sappy chick flicks."

Our eyes meet, and we just stand there staring at each other longer than usual. One odd thing I've noticed whenever I make eye contact with people is how loud a stare can be. Sometimes, when I look straight into someone's eyes I can instantly tell what they're thinking, what kind of message they're sending. However, with Shiro, there's always something about his messages that's just hard to understand; and this is just one of the many messages I find to be confusing. Before I could even attempt to comprehend, he turns away, but not before I catch his face turning red and his expression becoming goofier by the minute. "T-thanks for telling me this. You really are a good friend."

_Ta-_ **_thump_ ** _._

A mysterious pain is inflicted deep in my chest as I hear the word "friend." I don't know why, but it just doesn't feel right to me. It actually hurts. 

Before I realize it, I feel two arms pulling me to an embrace. Though Shiro is still holding the umbrella up, it's tilted in a way that it's barely shielding us. I feel the rainwater from the umbrella dripping onto my back and raindrops tapping on Shiro's shoulder. Both of us are getting wet, but it doesn't matter to me right now, and apparently, it doesn't matter to him either.

"Shiro--"

"Keith, don't you ever think you're not worthy enough for us to talk about these kinds of things with each other. You know you're more than a friend to me right? You're my brother."

"Your... brother?"

He pulls away from the hug and our eyes meet again. "Y-Yeah, like a brother-in-arms. Whatever battle you face, you know I'll fight by your side. Be it a dispute between you and a cadet, adolescent problems, or an actual battlefield, I'll  **be**  there."

I feel the pain in my chest beginning to fade away; now there's a new feeling growing in the pit of my stomach. It's foreign and weird, yet it's a good feeling.

"Shiro," I speak up as we resume our walk.

"Hmm?"

"You've been vouching for me for so long already; it's a miracle you're not fed up with all the scoldings from Commander Iverson and Admiral Sanda because of me."

"That's because you have more potential than anyone I've ever met in the Garrison." The tone of his voice is serious, and it doesn't seem like he's about to stop. "I told you this before, and I'll say it again: I believe in you, Keith. Like I promised, I will  _never_  give up on you."

Silence comes again and we keep on walking. The scenery is no longer my interest; all I could focus on are Shiro's words:  _I will never give up on you_. A smirk forms on my lips.

"Shiro, how many times are you going to save my ass from permanent dismissal before I finally hold on to that promise?"

" _As many times as it takes._ "

The rain begins to pour harder, and the tiny umbrella couldn't shelter us anymore. "Race you back to the dorms!" he suddenly shouts, and he starts sprinting as soon as he shoves the umbrella at me.

"Hey!" I try to call him but it's no use; he's already far ahead of me. I quickly close the umbrella and start running after him. "You know, I'm only seconds away from beating your record!"

_Brother_... I like the sound of that. 

 

**-END-**

 

.

.

.

.

.

"IT'S 200 HOURS WAY BEYOND CURFEW, AND YOU TWO THINK YOU CAN JUST SNEAK IN DRENCHING WET FROM THE STORM WITHOUT OUR NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART HYPERSENSITIVE ALARMS SOUNDING OFF!"

"Sorry, Commander Iverson." We say in unison.

"Shirogane, I am especially disappointed. That will be 50 laps FROM EACH OF YOU. I want you two at the field tomorrow morning at 600 hours. SHARP. Now, DO. YOU. COPY?"

"Yes, Sir."

"DISMISSED."

As Shiro and I walk away, he leans in closer to me. "Do you think Iverson's the type to wear tighty-whities underneath that satin robe of his or over-sized boxers with little hearts all over them?"

"SHIROGANE THAT WILL BE 50 LAPS MORE FOR YOU!"

"Oops."

 

**-ACTUAL END-**


End file.
